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0 pointsryanelkins16y ago0 comments

Although, like the article mentioned, there are plenty of words that we use without serious regard that are just as bad, we just have become numb to what they actually mean. For example:

moron - having a mental age between 8 and 12

dumb - slow to learn or understand; lacking intellectual acuity; lacking the power of human speech;

idiot - a person of subnormal intelligence

imbecile - retardation more severe than a moron but not as severe as an idiot

maniac, lunatic - an insane person

We throw these words around (as a society) all the time without regard to their original intent. Is this simply a case of forgiving the past and trying not to repeat those mistakes going forward? Where do we draw the line with allowing words to be used outside of their initial purpose?

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nfnaaron16y ago· 1 in thread

I believe every one of those words was at one time used in a professional medical context (your "original intent"), to mean a specific thing. Over time they were all co-opted by laymen (us) as insults. Anal-retentive is another such term that's been co-opted, although I think it's still in current medical use.

Words are subject to fashion, just like clothes. 100 years ago Hillary was a male name, now it's more commonly a female name (in the US anyway).

"Where do we draw the line with allowing words to be used outside of their initial purpose?"

You can't. People are going to do whatever they want.

philwelch16y ago

"Anal-retentive is another such term that's been co-opted, although I think it's still in current medical use."

It's a Freudian term, so to whatever extent it's still in clinical use, it's barely even in use. There are few Freudians left.

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